UC RUSAL (Hong Kong Stock Exchange Code 486, Moscow Exchange Code: RUAL), one of the world's largest aluminium producers, has received an award from the Russian Ministry of Health for the help the Company provided in preparation for and in the conduct of clinical trails in the Republic of Guinea of a Russian drug called GamEvak-Combi for the treatment and prevention of the Ebola virus.
The Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation was highly appreciative of UC RUSAL's participation in the struggle against the Ebola virus in Guinea, as well as of its contribution to the development of Russo-Guinean relations. The Ministry of Health of Russia gave UC RUSAL Head of the Alumina Business, Yakov Itskov, a medal for his services to the country's healthcare system. In addition, Company employees who took an active part in the implementation of the private-public partnership aimed at combating the Ebola virus, including the CEO of the Management Company in the Republic of Guinea Alexander Bregadze, and the UC RUSAL Head of Healthcare Vladimir Spiridonov were presented with Best Healthcare Worker badges.
Participation of UC RUSAL in combating the Ebola virus in Guinea
In April 2014, in the midst of the Ebola epidemic, UC RUSAL, which was one of the first foreign companies in Guinea, purchased and delivered a batch of medicines and sanitation resources to the Republic’s Ministry of Health. Since August 2014, UC RUSAL has been providing financial and logistical support for the activities of Rospotrebnadzor’s special anti-epidemic brigade, which was sent to Guinea.
For example, in 2015, to combat the spread of a deadly disease in Guinea, UC RUSAL built and fully equipped the Research and Clinical Diagnostic Centre for Epidemiological and Microbiological Studies (RCDCEMS) in Kindia. UC RUSAL's investments in the construction of the Centre amounted to more than USD 10 mln.
In 2017, a part of RCDCEMS was repurposed as an advanced laboratory complex, making it possible to perform laboratory analysis with a high protection level in inpatient conditions. The work to re-purpose some of the premises was carried out by UC RUSAL in short order and taking into account all international standards. UC RUSAL has also provided key assistance in the delivery and installation of high-precision equipment designed for the laboratory, with a total weight of more than 50 tonnes.
At the instruction of Russian President Vladimir Putin after he was contacted in late 2014 by the Republic of Guinea President Alpha Condé, an Ebola vaccine called GamEvak Combi was developed with the support of UC RUSAL. It was created at the N. Gamaleya Federal Research Centre for Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Healthcare Ministry of Russia.
In December 2019, UC RUSAL and the Healthcare Ministry of the Russian Federation announced they completed vaccine trials against the Ebola virus in the Republic of Guinea. 2,000 people got the new GamEvak Combi vaccine as part of the post-registration studies that were being conducted in Guinea at RCDCEMS.